Obituary of Richard G. Dickson

Lt. Col. (Retired) Richard Gay Dickson, age 63, of Ozark, died Sunday, October 8, 2006, in Dale Medical Center. Funeral services will be 7:00 P. M. Wednesday, October 11, 2006, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home of Ozark with Reverend Dr.Christian Eckert and Reverend Marty Hamilton officiating. Interment will be Thursday in Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville, Georgia with full Military Honors, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00 P. M. Wednesday evening until service time at 7:00 P. M. LTC (Ret.) Richard Dickson was born April 6, 1943 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the third son of four boys born to the late Frances Copelan Dickson and Marshall William Dickson. The Dicksons were a military family serving in the United States as well as Japan, Germany, and France. Richard attended school overseas and stateside. He spent two years at Georgia Military College in 1964 and 1965 . He later transferred to North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Georgia where he was Company Commander of Foxtrot Company his senior year, 1966. He served in Vietnam in 1969 where he flew the Birddog. Later he served a tour in Germany and then in 1981 in Korea. He completed his military career at Fort Rucker where he was XO in Combat Developments. Army awards, decorations, and badges include the Bronze Star, MSM (30LC), Air Medal (18OLC), Army Commendation (1OLC), Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry w/Palm. He was a Field Artillery Officer, Senior Army Aviator, Airborne Qualified, and a graduate of the Command General Staff College. LTC Dickson retired from the Army in 1986. In 1985, he and his wife bought Ozark Travel Park where his vision, hard work, and attention to detail created what is today considered one of the finest small RV parks in the nation. Survivors include his wife of 27 years, Carol Cook Dickson of Ozark, three daughters, Carrie Wood Cunningham and her husband, Doug of Boerne, Texas, Melissa Dickson Blackburn and her husband, Fleming of Auburn, Alabama, and Anna Dickson Allen and her husband, Scott of Ozark, one sister, Heidi Dickson, three brothers, Bill Dickson and his wife, Joy of Cumming, Georgia, Bob Dickson of Winston, Georgia, and Dave Dickson and his wife, Sharon of Jonesboro, Georgia, five grandchildren, Taylor Allen, Lindsay Allen, Richard Brinson Blackburn, Reeves Blackburn, and Anna Frances Blackburn. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to U. S. Army Aviation Museum Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 620610, Fort Rucker, Alabama 36362-0610, the American Cancer Society, 2346 West Main Street - Suite 3, Dothan, Alabama 36301, or to the Wiregrass Area United Way Food Bank, 382 Twitchell Road, Dothan, Alabama 36303. Service Information